The Federal-Postal Coalition -- a group representing more than two dozen federal employee unions -- pleaded with Congress on Monday to spare their members in any deal related to the "fiscal cliff."

Federal workers, the coalition wrote in a letter, have contributed more than their fair share toward reducing the debt and are the only group that has been targeted so heavily.

Federal and postal employees and their families are hardworking, middle-class Americans who are struggling during these tough times just like other Americans, the group wrote. No other group has been asked to financially contribute the way they have, and it is time our nations leaders found other ways to reduce the deficit than continually taking from those who have dedicated their lives to public service.

According to the coalition, federal employees have funded $60 billion in budget savings in 2011 and 2012 as a result of their ongoing pay freeze and an additional $28 billion in savings will be derived from the freeze extension through March 2013.

Federal workers also contributed $15 billion toward the budget in 2011 when the contribution rate toward retirement pensions was raised to 2.3 percent for new employees.

Top Democratic lawmakers on committees related to the federal workforce told Government Executive last week that they would like to leave federal-employee benefits out of any potential debt deal. After President Obamas reelection, top federal unions said they were confident their members would not be targeted in such a deal and a pay raise would be instituted.

The Federal Workers have had a three year pay freeze. It’s the first time in nearly twenty years that has happened. They were also asked to contribute more to their pensions. While their benefits are somewhat better that most, they don’t even approach what cops and fireman and other state workers make/get (at least in NY metro area). Under the Federal Employee Retire System (as amended in 1984) federal workers earn 1% a year toward their retirement. That means for ever year they work they get 1% when they turn 65. After working forty years they would get 40% pension. Law enforcement is slightly higher (1.7 % for first twenty then 1% thereafter. Mandatory retirement @ 57). With a law degree and 25 years experience as an FBI agent, you make significantly less than a first year law associate at a Manhattan Law Firm. I know it’s better than a lot of people, but it’s not what everybody thinks.

A gentle solution would be to roll all salaries and benefits back to 2001 levels, allow them the pleasure of joining us in Obamacare and nationalizing their pension to shore up Social Security since they’ll be relying solely upon that as well. Hiring freeze, zero tolerance. Reduction in force through attrition if no other means can be found.

A little taste of what the private sector has been going through for a decade or more would do them some good.

But then again unions are exempt from 0-care, expmpt from the confiscation of union retirement plans, while forcing regular IRA’s and 401K’s to ‘invest’ in Treasury debt (per a pending Harry Reid bill), unions even get a piece of Gen Motors while the bondholders get royally scrood.

On second thought the joke may once again be on us.

12
posted on 11/20/2012 8:35:28 PM PST
by MichaelCorleone
('We the People' can and will take this country back...starting today.)

Listen for all the talk about “budget cuts” that will be coming in this “Fiscal Cliff Deal”. There will be no “budget cuts”, who do they think we are, stupid or something? Sheesh.
Tax rates will go up, and so will federal spending, the deficit, the National Debt, and certainly unemployment, but the only things that will be coming down are real tax revenues, and the GDP.

RE :”Top Democratic lawmakers on committees related to the federal workforce told Government Executive last week that they would like to leave federal-employee benefits out of any potential debt deal. After President Obamas reelection, top federal unions said they were confident their members would not be targeted in such a deal and a pay raise would be instituted. “

True story: My neighbor worked here as a federal employee for Medicare and he retired getting a buy out (they dont lay off there) in his early 50s. As part of it the gubment gave him retirement health care at that age early 50s which is similar benefits as Medicare we MAY get at 65 or 66. And he got it under under Bush.

Isn’t that great?

Medicare is running huge deficits NOW that neither party will admit and this guy gets it in his early 50s for working for Medicare/Fed job to GET RID OF HIM. And that is ‘off the table’.

20
posted on 11/20/2012 9:23:58 PM PST
by sickoflibs
(How long before cry-Bohner caves to O again? They took the House for what?)

System was changed in 1987. I suspect your neighbor was hired before that. If so he was “grandfathered in”. Reagan significantly altered (read reduced) the pension system for Federal Workers. People hired after 1987 don’t get that kind of deal.

In the last three three years Federal Workers got zero raise and were required to contribute more to their retirement. In that time inflation was 3.16 % 2010, 1.64 % 2011 and will be around 2.5% 2012. That means Fed Employee real salary has decreased over 7%. They were also required to contribute more to their pensions (an additional 1.5%) so the real salary has gone down about 8.5%. Also, the Federal health benefits program is NOT exempted from Obama care. Like many of you the amount allowed in Health Savings account was significantly cut this year by Obama care. While I realize no one is crying for the federal worker it is true that they too are feeling the squeeze of this economy. White Collar Federal worker make a lot less than civilian employees:
“The data show that employees on average are more than 40 percent behind in San Francisco-San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles and New York.”

I just looked up the average salary for a mail carrier ... 48K plus, just to put advertisements in my mail box. Outrageous.

Come on, that's not an outrageous salary. Seriously. No sacasm in my reply.

How far down do you want the middle class to go? God forbid someone should earn enough money to afford at least a modest home, put their kids through college, eat out at a restaurant without it being a luxury.

If there are any federal functions that actually provide me a service, it is the post office.

29
posted on 11/20/2012 11:39:00 PM PST
by gunsequalfreedom
(Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)

A pay freeze, horrors! How about the private sector where some have learned to live on 40% less income since Bams took office, and the huge number of small business owners that haven’t taken a paycheck in the last 10 months.

Of course they’re feeling the effects of the economy. The part of the quote that’s a lie is ‘just like’ which even you point out is not the case.

I used to tolerate little lies of qualification but the nation is dying and now is the time for everyone who loves freedom and their children’s future to put the hammer down on every single piece of BS they can.

Get serious or the United States is over.

37
posted on 11/21/2012 11:11:04 AM PST
by Psycho_Bunny
(Thought Puzzle: Describe Islam without using the phrase "mental disorder" more than four times.)

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